Students celebrate Il Cacio E’Rosa Tournament success.

1st March 2019

Andy Griffin Football Academy (AGFA) students Beth Roberts and Charlotte Clarke from the Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) Academy of Sport are celebrating after the English Colleges FA Women’s National team were crowned champions of the Il Cacio E’Rosa 2019 tournament.

The women’s squad were invited to compete in this tournament for the first time, mirroring the opportunity that has existed for the men’s team for the last 10 years. Players Beth and Charlotte were selected for the 20-player squad based on their recent performances in the Women’s Super League (WSL) Academy Cup.

The team made light work of the group stages, beating three regional Italian teams; Veneto, Lazio and Abruzzo 3-0, 1-0 and 6-0 respectively before facing the Welsh Colleges FA and claiming victory in a tense 1-0 final.

Making the win even more special for player Beth was the addition of being named ‘Player of the Tournament’ with the left back impressing consistently throughout the tournament.

Andy Griffin, Head Coach of the AGFA squad said: “Representing your country at a national level is a great privilege and the way the players have showcased themselves on an international stage, really highlights what the Andy Griffin Football Academy has to offer in developing grassroots footballing talent. Our job is to help students grasp these opportunities and give them the skills to ultimately land either a semi-professional or professional football contract.”

David Sutton, Academy of Sport Manager said: “The ECFA competition offers an incredible opportunity for the students to showcase their talents at a national and international level. We are incredibly proud of Beth and Charlotte’s achievements in the tournament and of how well they’ve represented themselves, their country and the College. With players like them coming through the Academy, it’s easy to see why NSCG is Staffordshire’s top sporting college.”